


Tomb Raider: Shard Croft

by DragonLady_WinterFlame



Category: Tomb Raider (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Best Friends, Blood and Violence, Escape, Friendship, Gen, Language, Original Character(s), POV Animal, Pursuit, Video Game Mechanics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-01 17:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12709809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonLady_WinterFlame/pseuds/DragonLady_WinterFlame
Summary: This is a character I made up but she's the same species as one of the creatures in one of the Tomb Raider games, and that is the Proto-Nephilim from Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness, I made her Lara's companion and this is a story of how they met.





	1. Escape

**Author's Note:**

> Take note that this story is going to be portrayed like an actual video game, so chapters will be like levels and maybe some paragraphs will be doubled like a checkpoint.

Prague, Czech Republic 4:56 AM

Dr. Kristina Boaz medical expert and member of The Cabal was working on the one experiment she hopes to one day succeed in order to bring back the now extinct race known as the Cubiculum Nephili-THE SLEEPER. But seeing how that would be impossible to re-create one, her first experiment would to be tested with animal DNA before testing it with human DNA, thus calling it the Proto-Nephilim, a creature made up of several different animal parts but having half the blood and some-what appearance of the Nephilim itself. She began by starting out with an infant as a test subject, before dismantling it after it's purpose as a tool was done and then create the adult version for the final result. Combining the DNA of both a wolf and a baboon, the body of a baboon but the skin and fur of a wolf, the facial structure of a baboon, the ears of a bat, the claws of a tiger but as sharp as an eagle's talons, the heart and lungs of a cheetah, and the brain of a velociraptor. She even injected some her own blood inside it, as if she'll have the authority to control the creature...or so she thought.

After a several hours of work Boaz's project was finally done, her first Proto-Nephilim, she put it in an incubator to kept it alive and also scanned the creature to identify it's gender. Within approximately 30 seconds or so, the readings revealed the infant's gender..it was a girl. "Hmmmmm a female, well I know just what to name you, Shard." Said Boaz as she smirked before leaving the incubation room and entered the experimentation room for the infant's test runs and results. A couple of hours went by and Boaz was still testing out the machines making they were working properly, however she didn't know when Shard would awaken soon, cause when she did when tried using the mind-controlling device she invented in order to control Shard, nothing happened. And to think that Boaz's blood would control her...but it didn't, instead human blood only gave Shard superior intelligence, incredible strength, and the ability to speak. "Uhhhhgggghhh, where am I?" Shard questioned herself as she awoke weary. "Huh... a maximum security prison facility? I don't like the look of this place, I need to get out of here... and fast!"

( _This is where it starts to become an actual video game idea. ;) )_

Mission Objective: Escape the Facility

 

{for PC} "Press 'ALT' to activate Shard's venomous spitting attack"

{for Xbox} "Press 'B' to activate Shard's venomous spitting attack"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Press the 'circle' to activate Shard's venomous spitting attack"

 

[Shard spits on the incubator hinges and they melt instantly, she then carefully places the glass lid on the floor and climbs out of the incubator box. She then takes cover over to a nearby cabinet.]

 

Shard: **Okay Shard, think! There's got to be a way out, and a possible way of escaping without being detected?**

[Using the mouse or analog stick to move the camera slightly to the right and automatically zooms in for you to spot a nearby vent]

Shard: **There, the air vent! Hopefully my creator return anytime soon.**

She quietly opens the vent and enters, as she crawled through the vents she managed to make it half way through to reach the end of the maximum security prison room, but at the end of the vent she was near a room where a couple of guards were on patrol. Then she heard a guard call out from the incubation room that was now several feet away from where she was.

Guard: **Huh? Oh crap the proto-infant is gone, warn Boaz NOW!**

Shard: ***sigh* Crap, now what?!**

[You're controlling her with the arrow keys or analog stick, she keeps crawling until she gets to a safe gape]

Shard: **If all else fails and I get detected, I'll have** **no choice but to fight my way out.**

Shard keeps crawling through the vents until she came to a part where she might be easily detected, [from here you either get detected right way or you managed to sneak your way past the guards, but eventually you'll come to a point where being detected is part of the story], as she exited the vents she cleverly got past the first wave of guards searching for her but unfortunately one them spots her.

Guard:  **There!**

Shard:  **Shit!**

[She kept running until she come face-to-face with one of the guards, it does a slow motion scene so you have a chance to press the "dodge" and/or "attack" button on your enemy. He lunges at her "Tap 'Tab, RT, or R2' to dodge then press 'Space, A, or X' to jump"...(if successful, she jumps and climbs on his arm, bites his neck, and breaks it causing him to fall dead; if failed, he pins her down while she struggles to break free and has to start from the last checkpoint.) [optional action] she looks directly at him "press 'ALT, B, or 'circle' ' to spit venom"...(if successful, she spits her venom in his face and he screams in pain, then she continues to run through the halls; if failed, he dodges her attack and wrestles her to the ground pinning her down again, then calls for back and you start from the last checkpoint.) The camera then focuses on another vent that leads out of the prison room, she makes a run for it and takes down multiple guards using her claws and venom.]

 

{for PC} "Press 'CTRL' to attack"

{for Xbox} "Press 'X' to attack"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Press the 'square' to attack"

 

(on her way to the Bio-Dome entrance, extra "Game Over" animations like guards holding her up by the harness, or maybe she gets shot by a tranquilizer.)

 

_{Loading Screen}_

 

As soon as she makes it out of the Sanitarium, she enters the Bio-Dome. This comes to a part where you learn a new action.

 

Shard:  **Oh great, now what? Oh wait those bushes, I can use my camouflage ability to sneak past these guards!**

 

{for PC} "Press and hold 'Enter' to go into camouflage/stealth mode"

{for Xbox} "Press and hold 'Y' to go into camouflage/stealth mode"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Press and hold the 'triangle' to go into camouflage/stealth mode"

 

[Shard goes into stealth mode in the bushes]

 

Shard:  **Not completely invisible, but at least it keeps me hidden in the shadows.**

 

[She moves from bush to bush avoiding the guards, and you come across another new action. The camera focuses on a small lizard-like creature.]

 

Shard:  **Those lizard creatures, they'll help increase my strength. If I eat enough of those guys my venom will be strong enough to take down larger enemies, maybe even allow me to grow faster so I can take down those guards.**

 

{for PC} "Hold down 'Shift' and press 'CTRL' to use Shard's long sticky tongue to grab the lizard creature"

{for Xbox} "Hold down 'Right Bumper' and press 'X' to use Shard's long sticky tongue to grab the lizard creature"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Hold down 'R1' and press the 'square' to use Shard's long sticky tongue to grab the lizard creature"

 

Shard uses her tongue to catch the lizard creatures and ate them, and after you've eaten a certain number of lizards Shard will start to grow a little. She then does a sneak attack on the guard by pressing the "attack" button, drags him into the bushes, and kills and eats him partially. Shard's strength, venom intensity, and camouflage strength will then increase faster making her more dangerous, she's now aged into a juvenile after eating the guard she recently killed. Creatures like Shard grow rapidly like the xenomorph, testing out her new strength, Shard ran to the door about as fast as a cheetah and was also strong enough to climb walls and shimmy ledges, while continuing to silently taking down guards and disposing of the bodies in water tanks and bushes. She also battled experimental creatures within the Bio-Dome, until she came to another situation where detects one Eckhardt's henchmen, Grant Muller.

 

Shard:  **Hmmph, this guy must my creator, Boaz's henchmen. Alright, need to create some sort of distraction.**

 

{for PC} "Hold down 'Shift' and tap 'ALT' to activate echolocation then use the arrow keys to navigate"

{for Xbox} "Hold down 'Right Bumper' and tap 'B' to activate echolocation the use the analog stick to navigate"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Hold down 'R1' and tap 'circle' to activate echolocation the use the analog stick to navigate"

 

[Shard uses echolocation to reverberate sound on the walls opposite from her in order to distract Muller, he gets distracted and goes to investigate. Shard moves nearly close to the exit door, she reverberates the sound again from the opposite side of the wall from where she was standing and Muller once again investigates the strange noise. Shard then finally makes it to the door and exits the Bio-Dome.]

 

_{Loading Screen}_

 

Shard starts to make her through the Strahov Fortress using sneak attacks when necessary, climbing, hopping over obstacles, and doing other acrobatic moves to get to the end of the building. The screen loads again and fades out to the outside of the building as Shard makes her way to the loading trucks and tends to hitch a ride to Paris, but she first must find a way to cover her tracks so she's not being followed. Thankfully she spots a janitor and makes a mess on purpose to not only clean it up but write a message in the snow to let the janitor know she wants her tracks erased, shortly after Shard hitches a ride on one of the trucks just as it leaves, however as soon as the janitor was finished Boaz and a couple of other guards exited the building and followed the janitor to the truck loaders. Boaz found Shard's foot prints on the wood boards still covered in snow and smirks.

Boaz:  **Ha ha ha ha ha! Hitched a ride to Paris, eh Shard? Too bad you weren't quick enough to eliminate ALL of your tracks.**

She and the guards sneaked themselves on a truck as well, and hitched a ride to Paris.


	2. Clever Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shard escapes Prague but her creator, Boaz, is still on her trail. Will she find a way to out-smart her own mother, or will this be a never-ending chase before Shard finally has to face her?

Paris, Parisian Ghetto

After hours of riding in the truck and finally getting some sleep along the way, Shard made her way to the Parisian Ghetto. Though the streets felt like walking through a maze, she managed to find something to eat through the narrow allies, a few rats or a couple of hostile guards. She threw the bodies in the ocean once she finished feasting on them, making absolutely sure she leaves no clues behind for Boaz to find. She then had a brilliant idea of making her way to the docks through the Louvre Storm Drains, that way she'll make it difficult for them to track her, so she quickly found a nearby manhole cover and traveled through the sewer. She slides down the ladder and maneuvers through the drain storms and through deep water.

Shard: **Okay this route should slow down Boaz and the others... still, I mustn't dally... she could be already hot on my trail. Even then before I boarded the truck, I could smell her and knowing I didn't cover my tracks on the road... oh well, I can always try another way of losing her, if I can. But right now, I need to get to the nearest dock.**

[As she makes her way through the sewer, she comes across deep water.]

 

{for PC} "Press 'CTRL' to dive (you can also press 'Alt+Up' to swan dive when jumping off a ledge), and use the arrow keys to navigate while tapping 'Enter' to swim faster, hold 'Space' to swim up, and hold 'CTRL' to swim down"

{for Xbox} "Press 'B' to dive (you can also press 'A+B' to swan dive when jumping off a ledge), and use the D-Pad to navigate while tapping 'Y' to swim faster, hold 'A' to swim up, and hold 'B' to swim down"

{for PS2 or PS3} "Press 'circle' to dive (you can also press 'X+circle' to swan dive when jumping off a ledge), and use the analog stick to navigate while tapping 'triangle' to swim faster, hold 'X' to swim up, and hold 'circle' to swim down"

 

After moving through the sewers, Shard could finally smell the fresh salty ocean air coming from the docks from a mile away, and found another manhole cover to climb out of. She then finds a boat setting sail to England, and hops on board unsuspected.

{Loading Screen}

By the time Shard left, Boaz was already tracking her and picked up her scanner readings on her tracker. True Shard may have slowed Boaz down by moving through the Louvre Storm Drains, but she once again made a mistake but this time forgot to erase her wet muddy tracks near the docks.

Boaz:  **Ah, forgot to eliminate your tracks again, Shard? Quite Obvious you were in a hurry, come on boys, it's time we visited England.**

However, once they made it to England Boaz couldn't get any readings from her tracker. Shard was using something to mask her scent and/or lowering her body temperature so she couldn't track heat signatures, as if she _knew_ she Boaz was going to find her tracks and proceed on following her, so she quickly found an alternative and used mud, dirt, and dog hair to herself smell more like a dog than a multi-animal creature.

Boaz:  **Oh clever...very clever indeed, Shard. I'll have to admit, you really are a clever girl.**


	3. England

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shard managed to lose Boaz and the guards...for now, but she knows she'll have to face her eventually. Along the way, a little girl and her father catches her eye as well as senses some sort of...connection, and is curious to know who they are.

London, England

It wasn't long before the boat arrived in England, and Shard hopping off to find a place to spend the night. She found an ally that looked safe enough and rested up until morning.

{Loading Screen}

The next morning Shard got up bright and early to press on and possibly find some place to find sanctuary. As she searched for a decent home, two people caught her attention, one was a tall man dressed in formal clothing, and must be a father because the little girl next to him looked like his daughter who was formal girl's attire, they must be rich. Also the little girl was holding an ancient artifact one that Shard seemed to know very well. It was a mummified arm of her kind, the Proto Nephilim, Shard took immediate action and followed them keeping out of sight as best as she could, but had to jump from car-to-car because they were about to enter their limousine, so quickly she hopped on the nearest car that was heading in their direction.

{for PC} "Press 'Space' to jump from car-to-car"

{for Xbox} "Press 'A' to jump from car-to-car"

{for PS3} "Press 'X' to jump from car-to-car"

And unfortunately another problem was met...Boaz found finally her and chased after her, but didn't seem to be attack in any way. Just following her and watching her like she was ...observing. Shard decided to ignore her this time, and focused on jumping from car-to-car to catch up with the archaeologist family, soon she got to a place of what looks like the archaeologist family's home, and retreated somewhere so that it didn't look like she was following them. However one of them noticed when Shard hopped off the last car through the rear view mirror, as much as she wanted to keep following them, Shard knew she had some unfinished business to attend to and had to face the fact that it was finally time to stop running and face her fears. She found Boaz standing near a park and approached her fearlessly.

Boaz:  **Very impressive, and I'm not just talking about what I've recorded on my tracker. But you've finally made the decision to face the one person you fear!**

Shard:  **What is it you really want from me, and who are you? I thought you wanted to bring me back to Prague as your test subject, and then eventually dispose of me like I'm nothing to you anymore. Nothing but a sample for your precious project.**

Boaz: **My name is Boaz, and yes I would have done that, but ever since you've escaped the lab and me spending time tracking you down, I never realized studying you during your pursuit was better than using machines to test your strengths and weakness. So in conclusion, you're not entirely useless after all. Which is why I'm letting you go.**

Shard:  **T** **hat's what you've been doing while I running all through out Prague and Paris?...You could have just studied what you've learned from me and just left me alone, man, I can't believe I had to go through all that crap just to...wait what? You're-you're letting me go, after what I had to go through?**

Boaz:  **Yes, I hope you can forgive me that you had to go through all of that just for me to tell you, I decided to let you go because I'm finally satisfied with what I want.**

Shard thought about it, then smiled and nodded briefly.

Shard:  **Apology accepted, and I'll admit it was quite an adventure running from Prague to Enland, and I'm quite relieved that you've decided to let me go free.**

Boaz:  **Indeed, well now that we've got this whole thing settled, I guess this is goodbye.**

Shard:  **Agreed, farewell Boaz! I hope your final project will turn out a second success.**

The Boaz and Shard both nodded to each other and parted ways, Shard remained where she was to gaze upon her creator one last time as she left. Boaz also looked back at her first successful experiment as she and the guards left for Prague, flashing a small smile her driver drove off back to the docks to head back to Prague. Shard then turned her attention to the mansion, and headed straight for it. Jumping up and over the wall and into the gardens, Shard found the father and daughter walk along the patio, until they got to the gazebo to rest and that's where Shard made her move to come in a little closer, but not too close. The little girl caught sight of her again and pointed her out.

Girl:  **There father that's the creature I saw when we got home, saw it jump off one of the cars behind us.**

Dad:  **Oh, well, I see. Wait...**

The dad looked at the arm he was holding and realized what Shard was...

Dad:  **Lara, this is a real proto nephilim, an infant too. But how is that possible? They're but a hybrid experiment from their ancestor, THE SLEEPER, the Cubiculum Nephili.**

Shard:  **Indeed, I was created in a lab in Prague, sir.**

Girl:  **Whoa, and she can talk too!**

Dad:  **Impossible! How is it possible?!**

Shard:  **My creator used some of her DNA to not only make me highly intelligent, but apparently gave me the ability to speak. My name is Shard by the way, pleasure to meet you, sir.**

Dad:  **Ah and a pleasure to meet you, miss Shard, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Richard, Richard Croft or Lord Croft as I am mostly know, but you can call me Richard. And this is my daughter, Lara.**

Shard:  **Hello Richard! Lara! I hope you don't if I ask if I could possibly make some part of your mansion my home? I don't have anyway else go.**

Lara:  **Or you could make the whole mansion your home. Can we keep her father, she looks like she's been through quite a lot, and I know cause I can definitely see it in her eyes.**

Shard:  **You don't know the half of it.**

Richard:  **Well darling, we're going to have to see what your mother says about this.**

Lara:  **Alright.**

Shard:  **Hmmmm hopefully she won't mind, what's your wife's name, sir?**

Richard:  **Ah that would be my beloved Amelia, such a wonderful and extraordinary woman. And yes I do hope she wouldn't mind having you be apart of the family.**

Shard:  **Me too, she sounds like a sweet person though.**

Richard:  **Oh she is.**

As the three of them went inside, Richard found his wife in the lobby reading.

Amelia:  **Ah Richard, I'm so happy to see you've returned from your journey. Did you teach Lara a few new things about archaeology?**

Richard:  **I did indeed my dear, and we just so happened to find this amazing mummified arm of a hybrid creature, name of a proto nephilim.**

Amelia:  **My gosh, a real and rare piece of a proto nephilim. I thought they were just experiments to copy their ancestor, the cubiculum nephili, apparently there were some still alive before their extinction.**

Lara:  **And we have even bigger news, mother! Come on out, Shard.**

Amelia: **Shard?**

Shard slowly stepped out from behind the chair, and Amelia was a bit shocked at first but also amazed.

Shard:  **It's alright, Lady Croft, I'm not dangerous honest.**

Amelia:  **And she talks...do all proto nephili speak, or just you?**

Shard:  **Just me, ma'am, I hope I didn't frighten you too much.**

Amelia:  **Just a little, but I'm amazed to see such a creature that's been extincted for centuries.**

Shard:  **Aye, I probably the first in over several hundred years. Also we're all here because I was wondering if you're okay with me staying for a while, I've been running around a lot, especially after being a fugitive for a few days before I was let go.**

Amelia:  **Oh, well, seeing a creature a proto nephilim in particular, for the first time in our mansion. I would have to think about this, but can I tell you've been through a lot of trouble...so how about I have Lara show you around, and then tomorrow I'll see what I have say.**

Shard:  **Sounds good to me, thank you so very much, Amelia!**

Amelia:  **You're quite welcome, dear.**

Lara:  **Thank you, mother! I promise she'll be a great companion!**

Amelia smiled as Lara toured Shard all throughout the Croft Manor from the pool, to the gym, the trophy room, the library, the gardens, and the bedrooms. After the tour it started to get late, and Shard spent her first night eating dinner with the Croft, then Lara and Shard settled into bed for the night. Lara cuddled up to Shard while Shard curled up to her like a dog.


	4. Meet the Crofts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At long last Smaug has finally found a place she can call home, and live her new life not just as a free creature and a part of the Croft family, but live a new adventure!

Croft Manor, London

That very next morning, Shard woke up bright and early to find Lara still slightly sleeping. And like any dog would do, she gently licked her face, and Lara giggled rubbing Shard dog-like slobber off her face.

Lara:  **Hehehe morning, Shard.**

Shard:  **Morning, Lara.**

The two then came down for breakfast, and Amelia smiling that her daughter and her new friend were happy to be around each other, but she still had to decided whether she really wants Shard to stay or not. She was keeping a close eye on her, but as she saw Shard spending more and more time with Lara, seeing that Shard actually reminded her of herself, always watching out for Lara not just as a friend, but like a sister, Amelia began to realize how happy Shard felt around her daughter. Especially the way she protects her when keeping Lara away from sharp objects or almost taking a nasty fall, or maybe even smelling something dangerous and pulling Lara away from getting burned or poisoned. Shard was truly a natural at being a guard dog around Lara, it was finally decided when Amelia made the choice after a month of observing Shard.

Amelia:  **Shard, dear? I have good news for you.**

Shard:  **Yes, ma'am?**

Amelia:  **My answer is yes. Welcome to the family, Shard Croft.**

Shard's expression went wide, she never felt so happy in her life.

Shard:  **Shard Croft?!**

Lara:  **Got a really nice ring to it.**

Shard:  **Oh thank you! Thank you, thank you so much, Amelia! I promise you I'll be the best companion ever, and to keep your daughter safe.**

Amelia:  **Ahehehe, but you already know how to keep my daughter safe, dear. And I couldn't ask for a better companion for my daughter!**

Shard smiled sweetly and hugged Amelia.

Shard:  **Thank you, Amelia! And I couldn't ask for a better mother and father.**

Amelia:  **Awwww thank you, sweet-heart, and so are you.**

Shard licked Amelia's cheek making her laugh cheerfully, and then let her continue to play with Lara.

As the years passed, Shard finally grew to her full grown stage. Lara was a teenager around that time, until she herself grew to be a young woman, the Lara Croft we all know and love in the game "Tomb Raider." And so began the birth of Lara and Shard Croft: The Tomb Raiders!

_**The End** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that does it for this story, hope you guys enjoyed it. And sorry it took a while for me to finally finish it, feel free to leave a comment anytime! ;3


End file.
